Daily Update On Current Affairs – July 21,2017

Ram Nath Kovind has been elected the new President of India as he secured victory over opposition candidate Meira Kumar to become the 14th President of the country. Announcing the results, Lok Sabha Secretary General and returning officer Anoop Mishra told media in New Delhi that Mr Kovind got 2930 votes valued 7,02,044 and Meira Kumar got 1844 votes valued 3,67,314.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said all countries support India’s stand on the Doklam issue. Replying to supplementaries during the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, she said, if China unilaterally changes status-quo of tri-junction point between India, China and Bhutan, it poses a challenge to India’s security. She clarified that India-China-Bhutan are the participants at the tri-junction point and any unilateral misadventure by China will not be tolerated. She said the entire nation is united in condemning China’s activities.

Lok Sabha Passes IIIT Bill

On the 19th July 2017, the Lok Sabha passed the Indian Institute of Information Technology Bill by a voice vote. As per a Government announcement, the reservation law will apply in these institutes. These Institutes are to be set up on the Private– Public Partnership Model. There are already 15 such IIITs operational in the country. The bill also seeks to grant institute of national importance status to IIITs on the lines of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs). These engineering and tech schools were established at a cost of Rs. 128 crore each. The centre had contributed 50% of the amount, states 35% and private partners remaining 15% (i.e. 50:35:15 ratio).

Telangana caps weight of school bags for children

In a rather unique move, the Telangana Government has acted to reduce the burden of school going children by putting a cap on the maximum weight of the school bags which the children can carry, as many sections of the society felt that the children were under the burden of the ever increasing weight of the school bags. Under the new rule, the maximum weight can be 1.5 Kgs for Class I and II, 2 to 3 Kgs for Classes III to V, 4Kgs for Classes VI and VII, 4.5 Kgs for Classes VIII and IX and 5 Kgs for Class X Students. The Government also barred any type of home work for students in Classes I to V.

New American Envoy to Afghanistan announced

The US President Donald Trump has nominated John R Bass, currently serving as the US ambassador to Turkey, to be his envoy to Afghanistan. Bass, a career foreign service official since 1988, needs to be confirmed by the United States Senate before he can take up the new assignment. Born and raised in upstate New York, Bass previously served as the US envoy to Georgia. This is Trump’s first nomination for a South Asian country. He has yet to nominate his envoys for India and Pakistan, the two crucial South Asian countries. The announcement came hours after Trump, along with Vice President Mike Pence, drove down to Pentagon to hold policy discussion with his national security and military advisers on a host of global issues including Afghanistan, North Korea and Islamic State terror group.

India will reclaim its position as the fastest growing major global economy this year, partly propelled by benefits from a new tax system and bolstered by an expected central bank interest rate cut, a Reuters poll showed. Having been in the offing for close to two decades, the goods and services tax (GST), which the government touts as the biggest domestic tax reform since independence, was introduced on July 1 and has bolstered economists’ outlook.

India on track to grow at 7.4%: ADB

Asian Development Bank today retained India’s growth projection at 7.4 percent for the current financial year even as it raised the forecast for developing Asian region to 5.9 percent. In a supplement to its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2017 report, ADB revised the forecast for developing Asia from 5.7 percent earlier. For 2018, it was raised from 5.7 percent to 5.8 percent. For India, it maintained the growth forecasts at 7.4 percent for 2017-18 and 7.6 percent for fiscal 2018-19.

India storms into final of ICC Women’s World Cup beating Australia

India stormed into the final of ICC Women’s World Cup beating Australia by 36 runs at Derby in England last night. The match was reduced to 42-over-a-side due to rain which delayed it by over three hours. Deciding to bat first, India posted a challenging 281 for 4 against Australia in the rain-truncated second semifinals match. For India, Harmanpreet Kaur top scored with a blistering century of unbeaten 171 runs, the third highest individual score by any player in the World Cup and fifth highest overall. Mithali Raj contributed 36 runs. India will now face hosts England in the title clash on Sunday.